35 kilometers north of Athens lies the ancient Temple of Artemis at Brauron. In today’s modern Greek parlance: Vravrona. Brauron was one of the 12 cities of ancient Attica which made up the confederation united by Theseus into the Athenian city-state. It lies in the broad marshy valley formed by the underground river: the Erasinos…

Hidden in Kolokotroni arcade, off Kolokotroni square, is the Society for the Education of Greek Women (3 Kolokotroni, Syntagma, 2103239693), a jewel of a store that sells Greek handmade embroidery. The Society was founded in 1872 to educate young girls and provide employment to destitute women. Tablecloths and napkins made by top quality white and…

The great thing about Kolonaki is that you can alternate shopping with coffee breaks in any of the zillion cafés you spot on your way. Your steps will unavoidably bring you to Tsakalof Street, aka the “catwalk”, named after its strategically lined up cafés, packed with trendy people wearing shades, watching you go by. Observatory…

Inside the serene forest of Imittos stands Kesariani Monastery, built in the 11th century A.D. It was named after emperor (Ceasar) Hadrian who built an aqueduct on a nearby spring. The spring is still in the courtyard of the monastery and the myth has it that it has fertility powers. The church type itself is…

The Islamic Art Museum (22 Agion Asomaton & Dipylou, Keramikos, 210 3251311) of Athens is a must. It showcases one of the best collections of Islamic art in Europe and it is spread in two buildings, a two-storey and a three-storey neoclassical mansion. About 10,000 artefacts of the early Islamic and Ottoman periods have found…

The historic neighbourhood of Plaka embosoms the Acropolis Hill on all sides. Together with Monastiraki, they contain an endless variety of antiquities of all eras. Plaka is the last remaining neighbourhood of the city which retains the neoclassical architectural style of old Athens. A walk through its winding streets is a glimpse in the way…

The private museum in the city’s chic neighbourhood of Kolonaki (1 Koumbari, 210 3671000) is housed in a beautiful 19th century neoclassical mansion, donated by Greek benefactor Antonis Benakis. The first floor is dedicated to the Palaeolithic and Bronze Ages, the Cycladic, Mycenaean and classical eras. There is a vast collection of tools, marble vessels,…

New galleries of modern art are popping up every year in Athens promoting painting, sculpture, installations, photography and graphic design. One of the most active ones is DESTE Foundation Centre (11 Fillelinon, & Emanuel Papa, Nea Ionia, train station Nea Ionia), established by art collector Dakis Ioannou in 1983. Striving to promote new as well…

As its name suggest, this museum (4 Neofytou Douka, Kolonaki, 210 7228321) showcases the largest collection of the gorgeous white marble figurines of Cycladic art, which have influenced modern sculptors with their grace, abstractiveness and shape. Most of them were discovered in tombs but their meaning is still debated. These figurines are mostly female, have…

Originally built in the 4th century B.C., the Panathenaic stadium (Vasileos Konstantinou, Mets, 210 3251744) was remade in marble by Lycurgus in 329 B.C. for the athletic event of Panathinaea. During this annual athletic event, the stadium hosted racing, boxing, jumping, javelin throw, chariot and horse racing. It was expanded by Herodes Atticus in 144…